ELD Waived
Livestock haulers granted another waiver for regulations requiring use of electronic logging devices.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) March 13 granted drivers who haul livestock an additional waiver from a regulation that could have negative effects on animal well-being, a move applauded by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).
A DOT rule issued in 2015 required truckers of commercial vehicles involved in interstate commerce to replace their paper driving logs with electronic logging devices by Dec. 18, 2017 (see “Rules of the Road,” our cover story for the March 2018 Angus Beef Bulletin). In September 2017, DOT provided an initial 90-day waiver — until March 18 — from the mandate for livestock haulers. This action extends the waiver further.
A final decision for permanent exemption is still pending. Read more.
Casey Jentz
Association Perspective
The art of cattle breeding.
The beef cattle industry, especially the Angus breed, has been very progressive during the past couple decades. We’ve used the latest, science-based technologies to make great strides in a relatively short amount of time. Just one of many examples, expected progeny differences (EPDs) have allowed the Angus breed to become the industry leader in growth, calving ease and carcass quality. Angus cattle have always exhibited these traits, but we have been able to push further than ever with technology.
Genomics are another example that help producers identify curve-bending cattle with greater frequency and at a younger age. We’re able to identify bulls and females with the potential to excel earlier than ever before, which has made progress even more rapid.
Technology is a great thing, but it goes hand in hand with a keen eye for improving and breeding cattle. The value of an exceptional herdsman cannot be understated. A herdsman has the ability to identify traits not measured numerically and improve them. They take traits like udder quality, feet and leg structure, and general phenotype, and select bulls with the right combination of traits to match the cow herd. The end result? Desirable cattle that you and your customers can appreciate. Read more.
Fiery Ag Advocate
Pioneer Woman shares how ranch life inspired her blog and led to fame.
“I never set out to be a beef advocate, but I started feeling gratitude to show people where beef begins. … I felt a privilege to show a beef operation from cows to calves to yearlings,” Ree Drummond shared with cattlemen and women in Phoenix, Ariz.
Drummond, who lives on an Oklahoma ranch with her family, is more famously known as The Pioneer Woman for her food blog, cookbooks and Food Network TV show. The 49-year-old redhead shared a pictorial history of her upbringing and experiences that ultimately led her to start a blog. Read more.
Traits of a High-functioning Family Farm
Women Managing the Farm Conference addresses current topics.
In his work as a county extension agent, Glenn Newdigger works with a lot of farm families and has come to recognize that successful farm operations tend to have common attributes. Among them is the willingness to accept differences in family members’ and employees’ backgrounds and experiences, and to communicate openly and with respect for one another, said Newdigger, who is based in Stafford County, Kan., with Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension. Many are willing to be flexible and take some amount of risk.
Other common threads of successful family farms are a willingness to share leadership, a focus on being in the business for the good of the whole operation, and the understanding that successes should be celebrated as a team. Read more.
What’s Inside …
In this March edition of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, you'll find valuable articles devoted to the management, marketing, and health and nutrition of your beef enterprise. Select from the tabs at the top of the page to access this month’s entire offering by category. A few select features include:
- A Place to Start Pasture Renovation
- Your Gut Instinct to Minimize Disease
- In the Cattle Markets
- Weaning Summer-born or Fall Calves in Late Winter
- Emergency IV for Dehydrated Calves
- Beef Center Stage at Health & Fitness Expo
- The Data Behind Decisions
- Mineral Nutrition
- Capturing Maximum Value for the Beef Industry
News Briefs …
The American Angus Association and its subsidiaries generate a wealth of information to keep members and affiliates informed of what's happening within the industry, as well as with the programs and services they offer. Click here for easy access to the newsrooms of the American Angus Association and Certified Angus Beef LLC and the Angus Journal Daily archive available in the API Virtual Library.
The Best Beef Every Time
CAB chef shares cooking tips with trade show attendees.
Most days it’s ranchers who are the beef experts.
Not so in the Learning Lounge at the Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. For a few short hours, Chef Peter Rosenberg schooled a ranching audience on how best to prepare beef.
From slow cooker recipes to grilling, roasts and knife recommendations, the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand chef captivated the audience sharing his familiarity with the end product that so many of the onlookers work to produce. Read more.
Smartphone Users Should Wash Hands
Smartphones and tablets carry germs from everyday use.
Do you watch video recipes on your smartphone while cooking? You always wash your hands before you start cooking, but has it occurred to you to wash them again each time you touch your phone? Did you know that not doing so can make you sick?
Not to gross you out, but the average smartphone is 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat. Because people often take their phones with them everywhere, including into the bathroom, various microbes are transferred when the phones are touched. Some of those microbes can survive for up to 16 months. Read more.